Bullet clamping device



y 1951 w. R. FASIG 2,552,772

BULLET CLAMPING DEVi'CE Filed June '7, 1946 INVENTOR.

Wayne 2. Fas 'g BY NEY Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED BULEET oLAMPING DEVICE Wayne is. iii's'ig, omiia vista, an. Applica'tion Jane 7, 1946; seriar noss'zs 'rss 3 Claims. (01. its-"53) This invention relates to cartridge; reworking devices and more particularly to a gripping tool foruse in the removalof bullets fromtheir shells;

There are: many instances where sportsmen desire. to. increaseor otherwise. change the power and effect of a. cartridge of. a particular caliber; This is readily accomplished by changing either thetype of powder charge in a cartridge or by varying the.- amount of a powder charge. Cartridges are reworked to provide greater velocity and, accuracy; as an economy measure, or to change. the characteristics of -a. particular cartridge so that it. may safely be used in a differenttypewrifie or.- pistol than that for which it was originally manufactured. Cartridges are avail ableat economy priceswhen bought inlarge quantities from such sources as the surplus stocks Ofi the; Government: Such' cartridgesJareusuaIIy not satisfactory to the purposes of a sportsman because of their being charged for military use. However,- these cartridges :whenreworked and the powdencharge changed can be made acceptable: Byrecharging cartridges so purchased the sports-- man-effects a considerable economy.

It: is: therefore an object of the present inventiont-tmprovide an improved gripping device or holderrfor use-zin removing-bullets from shells;

Another object? of the present invention is t'o' providean improved form of bullet pulling tool adapted? to be usedwithcartridge's of a; variety .ofcalibers;

Another. object of *the present invention to provide an: improvedform of cartrid'ge' reworking device having. a= minimum of pa ts and which is economical-to construct and efii'cientin operation.

Otherobjects. and features of this invention will'l'be 'readily apparent tothose skilled in the art. from the following specification and appendeddrawings. illustrating certainpreferred emlzio'vzli'mentsint-which:

Figure 1- is' aviewperspective of a bullet holding tool according to theQpresent invention with the support thereforshown in phantom-:

FigurewZ is an eXploded'view-of one-fo mer the present invention with cer-tain parts broken away f or: clarity;-

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along-"line- III--1II of-Figure'2;

Figure 4 is an-explod'ed View of} s-meuificsuon of the invention; with'certain parts'bi'olien' avr'ay for clarity;

Figure 5 is a sectional'view taken along line V-'V 'of Figure 4L With reference to the-embodiment vention' shown in Figures 1g-2 and 3' the 2 comprises amain body portion 1 consisting of a tubular casing or elongated cylinder provided with an enlarged cylindrical portion 2 at one end which is knurled for ease in eifecting movement of the body portion I. The exterior, surface of the main body" portion I below the enlarged portion 2; is threaded as indicated at 3. A hexagonal nut i is carried by the threaded sur-.- face 3. Extending axially through the elongated cylinder. l is a continuous bore or passage iof a; substantially constant diameter for the greater portion of its length and for the remainder of its length having the defining Walls thereof taperedtapered or frusto-conical portion [5 provided at the opposite end. The cylindrical. body I3 is. provided" with a plurality of. longitudinal slits It (as particularly shown in Figures 2 and 3) whichextend'from the-lower end I! thereof'substantially. to. the enlarged; cylindrical portion M1 and. thereby: form" resilient finger like portions or prongs l8fwhich aremova'ble toward and away from eaclr .otlier 'and the longitudinal A a'iiisbf'the body; 123:.

A. force applying element is shown at 2| and com'pnises' -a substantially cylindrical externally threaded body 22 havir'1g an enlarged cylindrical portion-'23providedat one end. A handle 2'5- is carried' by the-enlarged cylindrical portion 23 fitting into'ian' opening: ze rovi'ded therethrough and being h'eld' within said openingas bypeeriing or'in' any other'wellknownmanner.

In assmbungthe parts erein described the colletf 2 is adapted tobe receivedwithin bore" conical- Move mane of cylindrical body 2'2 int'o' the- =bor'-'- 5? will tailgate-lowermutate engagement w'iur-oi p'rtion l'5'" of collet 12 bearing-spa or: nesting-- in" the tapered section- 6 of bore 5f, The} any into a'nd outer bore 5 on rotauve top surface of the collet I2. After engagement has been effected continued rotative movement of member 2| will apply pressure upon collet I2 to move this member toward lower opening 'I of bore 5 and force the frusto -conical portion I5 of collet I2 further into tapered section B of bore 5 whereby the resilient finger-like portions I 8 will be moved toward one another.

The construction hereinbefore described is adapted to be used in conjunction with a support and pulling means 3| which is adapted to rest on a work surface 32. This means comprises a substantially semi-circular portion 33 having the end of one arm 34 provided with a threaded bore which is adapted to receive the exteriorly threaded main body portion I. A flange v35 extends from the semi-circular portion 36 and rests upon the work surface and is affixed thereto in any well known manner to hold means 3I rigid. Formed integrally with the semi-circular portion 36 is a substantially cylindrical body 3! having a bore or passage 38 extending the length thereof. The front of the cylindrical body 3'! is cut away at M whereby communication is had from the exterior to the bore 38 which extends through body 3'1. A rod-like member 42 is provided within bore 38 and is movable therein. The upper end 43 of rod 42 is adapted to accept and hold the end of a cartridge 44. A flat elongated member 45 is pivotally secured to the lower end of rod 42 at its lower end. The flat elongated member 45 extends from within the cylindrical body 31 through opening 4| to the exterior thereof. The exteriorly disposed end 46 of member 45 is pivotally attached to a member 41 which itself is pivotally mounted on a, pin 48 carried at the lower end of the cylindrical body 31. A handle member 5| is provided on the pivotal member 41 whereby said member 4'! can be rotated about its mounting on pin 48. Pivotal movement of member 41 by handle 5| will effect longitudinal movement of the rod-like member 42 upwardly and downwardly within the bore 3501: the cylindrical body 3'? by reason of its connection therewith through the linking elongated member 45.

In the operation of the invention the main body portion I is threaded into the arm 34 of support 3|, the amount being determined by the size of the cartridge which is to be reworked. Upon determination of this amount the nut 4 is moved upon the surface 3 of body I until it bears against arm 34 and thereby locks the body I in position and prevents it from rotating within arm 34. As shown in Figure 1, a cartridge 44 is in position ready to be reworked, that is, ready to have the bullet 52 removed from its shell or casing 53. To position the bullet 52 within the holding tool of the present invention the handle 5| is rotated in a counterclockwise direction to effect an upward movement of rod 42 thereby carrying the cartridge 44 upwardly until that portion of the bullet outside of its casing rests wholly within the collet I2 and between the prongs I8 thereof, which prongs I8 are then adapted to firmly grip or hold the bullet. The force applied by the prongs I8 is derived from the downward longitudinal movement of the collet I2 to carry the frusto-conical portion I5 thereof into tapered section 6 of bore 5 under pressure provided by member 2 I, which is moved into body portion I upon rotation of handle 25. This movement of the frusto-conical portion I5 into tapered section 6 causes the resilient prongs I8 to move inwardly toward one another to apply a firm clamping pressure on bullet 52. With the bullet 52 clamped the handle 5I is manually movedin a clockiwse direction to actuate rod 42 downwardly, rod 42 bein secured to casing 53 will apply a pulling force thereon and will cause it to separate from the bullet 52. It is possible that under the pulling force provided by rod 42 a movement of collet I2 might be effected. This movement is not detrimental to the operation 01 the invention for it is readily seen that if collet I2 is actuated downwardly its frusto-conical portion I5 will be wedged further into tapered section 6 to push the prongs I8 still harder against the outer surface of the bullet positioned therebetween thus even more effectively clamping and holding the bullet in position. With the casing separated from the bullet the powder charge may be changed in the casing as desired. The bullet may then be resecured, by means not shown, to its casing, and a cartridge of the power desired is then had.

It is here pointed out that the specific form of support for carrying the main body portion I and the mechanism 3| for providing a, pulling force to the casing 53 to effect its separation from the bullet 52 forms no part of this invention. Any construction that would provide a support and the pulling action could be utilized. The specific construction herein described is one form that may be used.

As hereinbef-ore stated the present invention is adapted to the pulling of bullets of a variety of calibers. A difierence in caliber however requires the use of a differently proportioned collet. These collets will resemble collet I2 and differ thereover only in the amount of opening provided between prongs Iii. A larger calibcred bullet requires a larger opening than does a smaller calibered bullet to permit the passage thereof between the prongs I8. A small calibered bullet will be accepted by a collet designed toreceive a bullet of larger caliber but the clamping force that can be applied by the prongs I B may not be sufiicient in all cases toretain the bullet therein when a pulling force is exerted by the rod 42. Thus the invention works best when bullets are used only with collets designed to receive the particular caliber of the bullet which is to be pulled.

As is well known, the lengths of casings of cartridges vary. To care for differences in length the main body portion I has been threaded over a considerable portion of its outer surface so that it can be readily moved a substantial distance toward and away from the top of movable rod 42. By trial the amount that body portion I must be threaded into its support for a particular length of casing is readily determined and the nut 4 is actuated to lock the body portion I in position and a. series of cartridges having this length of easing can then be worked.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention. This embodiment com-' prises three principal elements as does the. embodiment above described: a main body portion 6|, a collet 62 and a force applying member 63, but the design of these elements is somewhat different.

Main body portion BI comprises a substantially cylindrical externally threaded body 54 having a knurled enlarged cylindrical portion 65 at one end. A nut 55 is carried by body 64. A bore 61 passes the length of body IiI. The defining walls of the bore '5'! at the lower end thereof are flared or inclined outwardly away from the longitudinal axis of body BI as indicated at 58.

extends into bore 61 for a purpose to be described.

As shown, collet fiz compris'es a's'ubs'tan'tially cylindrical body "II with thelower portion thereof gradually enlarged'in diameter'as shown'at 12 to provide a flared skirt-like portion. At the opposite end of the cylindrical body H a key-way {I3 is provided. A bore or passage 14 extends through collet 62 and is threaded from the upper end thereof substantially for half its length, as shown at 10. At the lower end of bore M there is provided a knife-edge circular flange 15 which extends inwardly toward the center of bore M. A plurality of slits 16 provided in the cylindrical body I5 divides it into a plurality of resilient prongs or fingers 11 which are adapted to move toward and away from one another.

The force applying member 63 comprises a substantially cylindrical externally threaded body l8 having an enlarged cylindrical portion T9 at one end which carries a handle 8|. The lowermost portion of the enlarged cylindrical portion i8 is of generally frusto-conical shape as indicated at 82. The bore 61 in main body portion 6| tapers at its upper end to provide a seat 84 which accepts portion 82 to limit the travel of the body 15 into the bore 61.

In the assembly of the elements above described the collet 62 is inserted through the bot-- tom end of the main body portion i into passage 61 and moved inwardly and adjusted therein to locate the key-way I3 over the pin 69 to prevent collet 52 from rotating. The member 83 is then inserted into the bore l4 through the top thereof and upon rotation thereof by handle 81 the externally threaded portion I8 thereof is threaded into the collet -62 drawing the collet 62 longi- 10 tudinally upwardly to bring the flared portion :12 into engagement with the inclined walls 68. Continued movement of the collet 62 into passage i l under the actuation of member 63 wedges portion 12 against inclined walls 68 to case prongs 11 to move toward one another.

In operation this second embodiment of the invention works substantially in the same manner as the first embodiment herein described. With the holder positioned in its support a bullet is inserted into the collet 62 between the prongs Tl. With the wedging of the flared portion E2 of the collet 62 against the inclined walls 68 of bore 6! the prongs I! will move against the outer surface of the bullet forcing the knife edged i5 into the body of the bullet thereby firmly clamping the bullet. The rod 42 may then be moved by handle 5! to apply a pulling force to the casing of the cartridge to be reworked to separate it from the bullet to permit the powder charge therein to be changed.

While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been specifically disclosed it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto as many variations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the invention is to be given its broadest possible interpretation within the terms of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a tool of the class described adapted for use in the removal of a bullet from its casing, a housing having an opening at its upper and its lower end, a substantially cylindrical bullet-holding member having a passage extending therethrough and movable through the lower end of "esteem said housing to extend thereinto, clamping means provided on said bullet-holding member, arotatable actuating means movable through the upper end of said housing and having a threaded con- 5 nection with said bullet-holding member and adapted to effect axial movement of saidlatter member within said "passage to actuate ISaid clamping means, and means to preventrotative movement of said bullet-holding member.

2. In'a device of the character describedforuse in the removal of a bullet from its casing, a housing having a passage extending the length thereof and opening through the upper and lower ends of the housing to the exterior thereof, and

with the interior wall portions defining one end of said passage being inclined with respect to the axis of said housing, an axially movable substantially cylindrical bullet-clamping member insertable through the lower end of the housing to lie 0 disposed within said passage and having a plurality of depending finger-like elements, with the ,ends of said finger-like elements being flared outwardly, said bullet-clamping member having a bore therethrough, the upper end of said bore 5 being provided with internal threading, a rotatable substantially cylindrical actuating means having an externally threaded portion movable through the upper end of the housing and adapted to engage with the internal threading in said bore whereby longitudinal movement of said bullet-clamping member can be had upon rotative movement of said actuating means to bring said flared ends of said finger-like elements into engagement with said inclined wall portions, and means, comprising a pin and keyway, provided by said housing and bullet-clamping member to pre vent rotative movement of said bullet-clamping member.

3. In a device of the character described for use in the removal of a bullet from its casing, an externally threaded cylindrical housing having a bore extending the length thereof and opening to the exterior thereof, and with the interior wall portions defining-the lower end of said passage being outwardly inclined with respect to the axis of said housing, an axially movable substantially cylindrical bullet-clamping member movable into said housing passage through the lower end thereof, said bullet-clamping member having a plurality of depending movable finger-like elements spaced from one another and circularly arranged, with the ends of said finger-like elements being flared outwardly, an inwardly directed knife-edge flange provided at the ends of said finger-like elements, said bullet-clamping member having a bore therethrough, the upper end of said bore being provided with internal threading, a rotatable substantially cylindrical actuating means having an externally threaded portion movable through the upper end of said housing and adapted to engage with the internal threading in said bore whereby movement of said bullet-clamping member can be had upon rotative movement of said actuating means to bring said flared ends of said finger-like elements into engagement with said inclined wall portions, and means, comprising a pin and key-way, provided by said housing ment thereof to a longitudinal movement.

WAYNE R. FASIG.

(References on following page) iiEi EiifificEs CITED FOREIGN PATENTS Tii fdilowing references are of record in the Number Country Date "file of this patexiti 628,667 France E E July 4, 1927 UNITED s "A'rEs PATENTS 0 OTHER REFERENCES Number Fame V Date Advertising picture on p. 304, Stoegers Gate- 2 Wm r ar. 29, 1892 logue and Handbook at 1939, entitled Pac1fic- 1,615,201 Stowe et a1. E Jan. 18, 1927 Reloading Tools-Schmitt.

2,334,088 Hass Nova 9,- 1943 2,351,232 Schnabo 1= June 13, 1944 10 

